How to pick the sportbike that fits you!

So your ready to buy a sportbike! Not quite sure which one?

   The first thing you’ll want to do is go to a local dealer and get a feel for a few. Most dealers don’t mind when you go ”try on” their bikes, I mean it’s the least they can do when ya can’t even test ride the damn thing even if you’re buying it! (Can’t say I really blame em though).
   Anyway , if your a beginner I would not recommend buying a brand new bike. Other than the obvious factor of layin’ it down. You may not even enjoy it like you thought you would and that would be a waste of your hard earned cash..

  Engine size is important factor when shopping around for your first sportbike. You surely don’t want to jump on a bike that is so powerful that it scares out of you and makes you never want to ride again, or worse gets you hurt. 
    Sportbikes are powerful machines and can be somewhat intimidating to a beginning rider.  They are, quite simply, built  for performance. Learning to control this power is a must. I highly recommend taking a riding course before anything.
    The difference between a 600 cc sportbike and an 1100 cc is quite significant. The peak hp and torque curve varies with engine size. In most cases, the bigger the engine, the more low end power,  (torque), the bike will have. With a smaller engine you will need more rpm’s before you start to feel the bike’s true potential.
     That said… The obvious choice for a beginner is a bike with a smaller engine. This way you can better control and more gradually get used to the power.
   So enough about the engine size for now, because the overall size of the bike is actually much more important. You can control the power better when you have control over the bike.  If it feels too big this will obviously intimidate you and give you a very insecure feeling. On the other hand, if the bike feels too small your more likely to get a little too comfortable and ride beyond your abilities.
   Ultimately you’ll want to do some research on your own to decide which brand and size you want . Here are a few guidelines to help you make the best choice! 

• When sitting on the bike both your feet should be flat on the ground without having to lean the bike to one side or the other.
• Your reach to the handle bars should be comfortable with your elbows slightly bent.  Although you do lean forward on a sportbike, you don’t want to feel like you have to reach for the handlebars.
• Rest your feet on the pegs, (with the kickstand down of course). Or even better, have someone hold the bike upright for you.  You don’t want your knees to high, nor do you want your legs to be stretched out, (which usually isn’t the case with a sportbike). This can through off your center of balance.
• Operate the clutch, pull on the brake lever, and use your feet on the gear shifter and foot brake. Some are adjustable, but get a good feel for it.
•  Actually riding the bike would be great! If you can find someone willing to take the risk.

To sum things up, I wouldn’t recommend anything bigger than a 600 cc if you’ve never ridden before, and that’s pushing it. A 250 or 500cc bike would be the better choice. You can always upgrade later.